At CDOT, our foundation for innovation is built on two core pillars: Continuous Improvement and Respect for People. We believe the true value of process improvement lies in creating an atmosphere of continuous learning—an environment that not only accepts but actively embraces change. Our goal is to develop quality people who are empowered to challenge the status quo and continually improve our processes. This responsibility doesn't just lie with a few dedicated specialists; it is a shared mindset across the agency, where leaders act as teachers and coaches to help their teams succeed.
To support this culture and empower employees at every level to fix what bugs them, we offer a variety of interactive training programs focused on process improvement and change management. Whether you are looking to earn your official Green or Black Belt certification, learn how to successfully navigate the "people side" of implementing new ideas, or simply discover tools that will fundamentally make your day-to-day work easier, these courses are designed to equip you with the practical skills you need to succeed.
1-day and 3-day class options available
We offer workshops to all employees, as well as targeted workshop for managers and supervisors, and business improvement project managers.
A great idea is only successful if your team actually adopts it! This course teaches you how to successfully manage the "people side of change".
For an organization to truly change, the individuals within it need support. To ensure succcess, we offer the following role based change management workshops:
1-day CM for Employees - designed for individual contributors experiencing change or will experience change in the workplace.
1-day CM for Managers and Supervisors - designed for supervisors with direct reports. The intent is to prepare supervisors for changes that are impacting them personally and prepare supervisors to lead their employees through change.
3-day CM for Internal Business Project Management - Comprehensive Change Management certification program where you will be working on a real-life internal business project that is currently underway or planned in your organization.
The 3-day change management course is a comprehensive certification program for project managers. You will be working on a real-life internal business project that is currently underway or planned in your organization. You will be applying the methodology and tools from the course to your project.
For the 3-day CM workshop, do I have to identify a project before the class?
Yes, you will be applying the methodology and tools from the course to your project. You will be contacted by a CM coach before the class starts to discuss an appropriate project to bring to the workshop. The 1-day classes for employees and managers/supervisors do not have this requirement.
Half-day course
Everyone at CDOT (and other interested state employees upon request)! A core pillar of our Lean methodology is "Respect for People," which means empowering and encouraging employees at every level to fix the processes that bug them.
This interactive, half-day class teaches employees to systematically identify and remove waste (non-value-adding activities) to fundamentally make the day-to-day work easier.
You will learn practical problem-solving frameworks like A3 Thinking and the Plan-Do-Check-Adjust (PDCA) cycle. The curriculum covers hands-on tools such as process mapping, root cause analysis, workplace organization (6S), and how to spot the "9 Process Wastes" (DOWNTIMES).
Attending this class is the first step on the Green Belt Certification Roadmap. Afterward, you can earn your official certification by picking a real "pain point" on your team, fixing it, and submitting your completed A3, PDCA, or 6S project to the Lean Everday Ideas (LEI) catalog.
What if I only have a small idea?
That is perfectly fine! Not all solutions require extensive planning; some are "Quick Hits" (also known as Just Do Its) that are low cost, easy to confirm, and contained within your team. Even small changes, like using the 6S framework to declutter and organize your physical or digital workspace, can improve quality, increase efficiency, and reduce safety incidents.
Why is CDOT focusing on Process Improvement?
Innovation and improvement have a massive impact on our agency. It improves service delivery for the public, increases safety, optimizes resources, and decreases burnout. Most importantly, it makes the day-to-day work easier for you!
3-day course
State employees who are business improvement project managers
Are you interested in learning even more about advanced Process Improvement? If you want to take your skills to the next level, you can sign up for the rigorous Black Belt training program and Certification offered through the Colorado Innovation Academy.
The Colorado Innovation Academy is a training and development program designed for State of Colorado employees. This program has been established to provide a centralized and unified approach towards Lean Black Belt certification. The primary objectives of this program is:
Increase access to consistent quality training for operational excellence so continuous improvement becomes a norm in state agencies
Enhanced collaboration among agencies to develop, deploy and reinforce best practices for continuous improvement
Black Certification requirements:
Complete Black Belt Training
Present at the Innovation Summit
Implement your Project
Submit your Innovation Form
When will I do my presentation?
Scheduled one month following your training, this will be a short presentation to your cohort, Academy facilitator, supervisor, and teammates about what process improvement tools you’ve used and how your projects are coming along. Your Academy Partner will work with you to prepare you for this presentation.
Do I need to implement my project?
The big goal of this training is to get participants to follow through on the project ideas they work on during the course. Your Academy Partner will support you through this process. The innovation form will be used to document the full journey of your innovation and will be used to track metrics and manage your action plan.
Below are a list of recommended learning opportunities to assist everyone:
Franklin Covey's Project Management Essentials (1-day workshop)
(CDPS) Lean Process Improvement & Process Mapping - Contact Michelle Malloy
(CDPS) Pivot Tables - Contact Michelle Malloy
(CDPS) Building Graphs and Dashboards with Google - Contact Michelle Malloy
Lucid Suite Training - if you want a Lucid Suite License contact Michelle Malloy
The following resources are specific to CDOT Design/Construction Project Management:
TETP Learning Lane - Courses and Resources
Contact Gary.Vansuch@state.co.us, Michelle.Malloy@state.co.us, or Laura.Rutz@state.co.us to learn more.